A crossover story with a difference

When he was just 17, Shahzad gave up studies to take care of his father who had a paralytic stroke. ‘‘I was his walking stick and also his voice,’’ recalls the 29-year-old. But despite this responsibility on his young shoulders, Shahzad found time to catch up with his brother who was a state level billiards player. ‘‘My brother Aqueel used to represent Punjab. Once he lost to a mediocre player and I vowed that I will avenge his defeat,’’ he says. He kept his vow in the years to come.

There were more obstacles on the way for Shahbaz. The family business hit a low and his elder brother Saaqib too had reservation about him taking up a sport that wasn’t exactly financially rewarding in Pakistan.

But Shahbaz had a point to prove. He worked hard on his game but still time was a constraint. To overcome this he hit upon a plan. ‘‘I got the duplicate key made to open the billiards room at a local club and practised in the wee hours,’’ he says. But in the same breadth he adds, ‘‘it was only after I had helped my father through his morning players.’’

Recalling those early morning sessions he says, ‘‘it used to be very dark inside but that still I managed.’’ All those countless hours on table helped as he reached the final of regional tournament which was telecast live. Shahbaz was in the spotlight. The Lahore-based cueist is on a mission here as he can rub shoulders with his idols. ‘‘I will learn a lot here,’’ he says after his 1-3 loss to former world champion Ashok Shandilya. A die hard Geet Sethi-fan Shahzad calls him the ‘‘badshah of billiards’’.

Other Indians who have made a big impression on Shahbaz happen to be from the Indian film industry. ‘‘Amitabh Bachhan and Shahrukh Khan are my favourites. Sharaabi and Sholay I have a number of times,’’ he says with a smile.